Blight Inoculations on Hybrid Chestnuts – Chestnut Return Farm, Seneca, SC, April 17, 2025

Today, several hybrid chestnut trees were inoculated with a fungal culture of Cryphonectria parasitica, which causes chestnut blight, to evaluate the resistance of each tree, at Dr. Joe James’s Chestnut Return Farm. Jamie Van Clief, TACF’s Southern Regional Science Coordinator, directed volunteers for this important work. Clemson professor Dr. Haiying Liang and her students, Roger and Sky, participated. Also, Katie Biggert, from the South Carolina Forestry Commission inoculated trees. Peggy MacDonald, NC/SC Chapter President was also present to help.

Jamie demonstrated the method of inoculating trees with the fungus.

Dr. Joe James with Clemson student Roger.

Clemson students Roger and Sky inoculating hybrid chestnut trees.

Dr. Haiying Liang inoculating chestnut hybrids with Sky and Roger. This was a great hands-on experience for her students.

A healthy F1 American/Chinese hybrid chestnut at the Chestnut Return Farm.

Dr. Joe James with the volunteers on a beautiful spring day.

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The American Chestnut Foundation

18 hours ago

Have a great photo of an American chestnut tree, bloom, bur, leaf, restoration planting, volunteer event, or wildlife interaction? We'd love to see it! (Photo pictured taken by 2025 2rd place winner Eric Sizemore)

First Place receives:
- Their photo featured on the cover of a future issue of Chestnut magazine
- A one-year TACF Seed Level Membership (a $300 value!)
- TACF merchandise

Second and Third Place winners will receive:
- TACF swag
- Recognition alongside the first-place winner in the 2027 Spring/Summer issue of Chestnut.

Submit your entries by December 31, 2026.

Visit the following link for more information and complete submission details: tacf.org/2026-photo-contest/

#AmericanChestnut #PhotoContest #TACF #ChestnutMagazine #ConservationPhotography #ForestRestoration #NaturePhotography ... See MoreSee Less

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The American Chestnut Foundation

3 days ago

A bee enjoying a well deserved break after the chestnut pollination period. The tree it rests on is a hybrid castanea pumila x alabamensis (dwarf chestnut x Alabama chinquapin). ... See MoreSee Less

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Voles got my chestnut, planted spring 2025

The American Chestnut Foundation

5 days ago

August Events! Double check with your states Chapter about events in your area.

Visit the following link for more information on the events: tacf.org/events/category/tacf/

#americanchestnut #Connecticut #NorthCarolina #SouthCarolina #getinvolved ... See MoreSee Less

August Events! Double check with your states Chapter about events in your area. Visit the following link for more information on the events: https://tacf.org/events/category/tacf/ #americanchestnut #Connecticut #NorthCarolina #SouthCarolina #getinvolved

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The American Chestnut Foundation

1 week ago

In a recent article for The Conversation, Dr. Steve Strauss discusses how advances in genomics and biotechnology are creating new opportunities to support chestnut restoration.

We're pleased to see perspectives from a longtime TACF collaborator. Steve served on our Science Advisory Review Committee in 2018 and currently has a pending proposal with TACF to improve genetic transformation methods for chestnut.

Give the article a read and let us know what part of chestnut restoration you're most excited about: theconversation.com/new-genetic-approaches-raise-hopes-for-restoring-the-american-chestnut-to-its... ... See MoreSee Less

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Somewhere, waiting discovery deep inside the remote part of a forest towers a thriving blight resistant nut filled American Chestnut (surrounded by dead ones just so we know it was exposed and surviving). We can hope. Taking inspiration from the Dogwood saga.

Professors at S.U.N.Y E.S.F put a wheat gene in to Chestnuts years ago and have growing them

I thought the blight only killed the tree above the ground and not the root system that's why the chestnut resprouts and grows until it gets a scar on it and the blight kills the sprouted tree back down to the ground leaving more viable root system to sprout again in the future.

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The American Chestnut Foundation

2 weeks ago

Unlike most forest trees that rely mostly on wind, American chestnuts recruit insects too.

#americanchestnut #environmentaleducation #pollinator #nativetrees #dronefootage ... See MoreSee Less